Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Dragging in from PRIDE..Saturday BLOG Diary

Saturday morning found us early, as Dottie had scouted out the scene and found there were free waffles downstairs in the lobby. I am here to tell you, not one of this group would ever find themselves passing up free hotel waffles, so we all drug it out of bed and headed for the syrup. Mackie arrived and regaled us with her military career stories while managing to flirt with every waitress within view. A true work of nature to behold.After breakfast, we convened in Dottie and Lisa's hotel room, where we lounged around and enjoyed each other's company while everyone became fully functional. Then it was off to find more lesbians and food at the chic eatery Eatsie's. Now, this is one of those concept places, where just about every gourmet food imaginable is available for take home or immediate consumption on their patio. Packed with swarming humanity, we split up in anticipation of what we'd all meet outside with later. In the bakery section I looked at birthday cakes, and then spied the chocolate covered strawberries. I knew this would truly be the way to celebrate a lesbian's birthday, and then back to the long line waiting for the counter. Meanwhile, Genie, being the reasonably sane one among us, tolerated the crowd for as long as it took to make the decision to leave and go across the street to bring back a Slurpie and Cheeto's. (LOL) Now that is a true Texan for ya.After everyone arrived at the table, we traded food finds topped off with chocolate covered strawberries and Dottie's impromptu serenade on the patio with her violin. We had persuaded her to bring it along, and have violin will make music is her motto. I believe even the most jaded yuppies appreciated this midday concert with their meal, and everyone was happy and smiling, unusual for the urban "I've seen it all" crowd. I will tell you up front, that Dottie is quite the Pride weekend accessory. IIf you want to meet anyone just send Dottie over. You'll be invited to their house for dinner by the end of it.Next on our agenda was shopping. Now I don't mean Neiman Marcus, this was more specialized QUEER shopping. This was Dottie's first real encounter with the shops that cater specifically to homosexuals, and it was delightful to see her enjoying herself. I snagged a Pride Cowgirl Rainbow sticker and bracelet before she had a chance to see them to surprise her with. Every gay cowgirl must get their souvenirs from the big event to show off to the folks back home. As we crossed the threshold of Sue Ellen's, Dottie was almost beside herself with glee. We hung out on the patio, enjoying the nice Texas weather and enjoyed conversation and each other. It was about this time I realized my sides were actually hurting from all the laughter. And then suddenly, without warning, it happened. POOL TABLE Madness.It started as a friendly game. Really. But what most didn't know and everyone was soon to find out Genie is all about pool. It had been a few years, but you could definitely see the serious pool shark come out in her. And if ever meet Dottie "Yeah, I really don't play pool" at the pool table just know she is a ringer. You've been warned. "The Clash of the Titans" as it were. Luckily they actually love each other, or there would have been a bloody bar fight with broken cue sticks for sure. It was a lot of fun to watch them play. It was about this time we realized Dottie was due at her benefit, and we cleared out of the bar and back on to the already crowding streets to once more climb into the "Love Shack" jeep and go gaily forward. What would we find at the end of this "Lisa must hit all the road bumps just to shake things up back there" trip? Read on.Now I don't know how many of you have personal experience with drag queens, but one of the things they do best (other than accessorize) is make money for different causes within our entire community. When it became known that Dottie was a fiddler of some note, the drag queens were thrilled to welcome her to play at the big benefit on Saturday night for Dallas Hospice House. The bar we attended was an insider bar, where all the drag queens performed to raise money for their various personal causes, and the entire court system hung out on their off time as paid entertainers. We arrived to a packed floor, and after a while finally found seating to enjoy the show. Every manner of drag queen was represented this evening, the silly to the sublime, and when it came to Dottie's time to play I was a little worried. As you can imagine, drag queens are a rather tough crowd. She strode up to the stage and the reigning Ms. Gay Rodeo 2007 held Dot's mike personally as she began to play. At first, you could have heard a pin drop, as Dottie was completely unexpected, then the tips started rolling on up. By the end of her set, she had the entire bar stomping and screaming "Ye-Haw" in unison, and I am sure had brought in more money than most that had performed before her. She definitely got my biggest tip of the night. I have never seen queens agree on anything in my life, but they did agree she was a smash hit. Of course we stayed until the end, enjoying everyone's turn at the mike, and Dottie became the "woman to meet" that evening for the patrons. The offshoot of this (as good things always come to those that do them with no expectation of return) Dottie was invited to play at the social event of the year, Coronation Ball later in the fall. A high honor for anyone in the community, much less a country lesbian :) After this evening, we took a vote and reasonably surmised that Dottie was, indeed, an "out and proud" lesbian, our work here was done. (LOL)When we closed down the bar, suddenly we realized it had been hours and hours since we had eaten, and there was only one thing to do in Dallas after you've closed down a bar with a group of friends. FIND A WHATTABURGER. Genie took the wheel so Web could experience the whole "Love Shack" back-seat thing on her own, and off we went searching for the elusive 3 am Whattaburger. I didn't dare tell those assembled my favorite "Whattaburger after the Bar closed" story, as it involved tattoos and really bad hangovers the next day. They were much too wild at this point, and would have been unduly influenced I fear. After finding the cheeseburger prize, we all zipped back to the hotel.. Ceremoniously slowing down past a sculpture in a nearby business park that looked suspiciously like a group of witches in the darkness. Now, I grew up in Dallas, and I am here to tell you no business would have a "group of witches" sculpture in their atrium and expect to actually do business in Dallas, but there was some lively debate on that point. Instead of risking another brush with law enforcement we made a pact to return in the daylight to get the whole story of this abnormality. Crisis averted.Back at the hotel, we all ate and made plans for the next day's revelry. Dottie was definitely not in Kansas any more, and who knew what was just around the corner for the next day.

Wow, I never heard of them at all. You are a bit younger, so maybe they weren't around when I was in High School. We really were taken by them, and in the middle of the night with a few drinks I assumed everything would look like witches (LOL) Thanks Rogie, I've passed it along.

About Me

Curious are we? I guess you are if you are looking at this. Or perhaps you saw me giggling in some dark corner. Yes, I really laugh a lot. Wish I had a nickel for every time I've been asked that online. Irony is everywhere and most things considered serious are the things I laugh at the most. I believe in life the only truth is unconditional love, all else is vanity. Search and you will find me. In the National Archive of Newspapers. Looking over the produce at Piggly Wiggly. In a gallery or gift store near you. Standing behind you in line at the post office. You never know when I'll ask you "Can you help me start my car ?...I have jumper cables." You probably know me already, you just haven't MET me yet.